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A routine attempt to get a colder drink ended in a terrifying emergency for one family in Shanghai.
A young boy opened the freezer and reached for a can of carbonated soft drink that had been placed inside to cool more quickly.
When he attempted to open it, the container suddenly burst.
The force sent pieces of the damaged can toward the child’s face, causing serious injuries and immediate bleeding.
His family rushed him to the hospital, where doctors treated his wounds with 38 stitches.
The incident left the boy with a lasting scar and transformed an apparently harmless household habit into an unforgettable warning.
The can had not been designed for storage at freezing temperatures.
As its contents froze and expanded, pressure increased inside the sealed container.
Opening the pressurized can provided the final trigger for a violent rupture.
A Common Shortcut Creates an Unexpected Risk
Many people place drinks in the freezer when they want them to become cold more quickly.
The practice can appear safe because the container looks unchanged from the outside.
A can might remain inside for several minutes without any visible warning that pressure is increasing.
The danger develops internally.
Carbonated beverages contain dissolved carbon dioxide, while the liquid itself expands as it freezes.
A sealed metal can has limited space to accommodate those changes.
If the container remains exposed to freezing temperatures, its internal pressure can rise beyond what it was intended to withstand.
The can may split while sitting inside the appliance, or it may fail when someone moves or opens it.
In this case, the rupture occurred close to the boy’s face.
A simple gesture that would normally present no danger suddenly released the pressure contained inside.
Why Carbonated Cans Can Become Dangerous
A soft drink can is engineered to hold liquid and carbonation under ordinary storage conditions.
Its thin metal walls provide strength while keeping the container lightweight and convenient.
That balance changes when the beverage begins freezing.